View Vacancy - Business Support Officer (FRA18.553)
The British Embassy in Paris is part of a worldwide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas. It is looking for an energetic and enthusiastic person to join us as a Business Support Officer in the Europe & Global Issues Section (EGIS).
EGIS is in the political section of the Embassy, and covers a wide range of policy issues including EU exit, economics, social affairs, innovation, energy and climate change. The Business Support Officer will report to a member of the Economic and Social Affairs team within EGIS.
The primary role of the successful candidate is to ensure that the section is run effectively, coordinating cross-section activities and events and providing efficient administrative support. The post holder will work closely with the Executive Assistant to the head of EGIS with whom responsibilities will occasionally be shared (such as support with delivering visits, and organising events).
The role may also involve the provision of occasional executive support to individual team leaders within EGIS (for example, organising meetings), according to work requirements.
The successful candidate will need to be a collaborative team player, able to juggle different types of work and reprioritise at short notice, deliver projects on time and to a high standard, and be at ease dealing with budgets and corporate requirements. A flexible mind-set is important due to the evolving nature of the section’s workload.
Situated in the heart of Paris, the British Embassy is a dynamic and fun place to work and we encourage all our staff to get involved in the wider work and community life of the Embassy.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
Section Coordination (50%)
Manage the section budget and conduct quarterly reviews of financial expenditure.
Act as central point of contact for corporate issues and internal communication.
Promote good Knowledge Management practice, maintain contacts database and ensure records are filed correctly.
Coordinate section administration e.g. annual leave, and act as secretariat for monthly section meetings. There may also be opportunities to become involved in policy support for the section, e.g. press monitoring, conducting research and summarising information.
Executive Support (50%)
Provide ad-hoc executive and logistical support to individual teams within EGIS, for example when a large meeting or ministerial visit programme needs organising or due to exceptional work pressures.
The Jobholder may also be required to fill in for the executive assistant to the Head of EGIS during absence periods.
- Highly organised, able to manage a varied workload and competing priorities;
- Deliver on time under pressure;
- Enthusiastic team player with the ability to work with a wide range of colleagues;
- Make connections and take the initiative to anticipate the section’s requirements and propose solutions;
- Effective and accurate management of section budgets and other corporate duties;
- Ability to communicate effectively in English and French, and establish good relationships with contacts outside the Embassy;
- Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and able to learn new IT skills, as required.
- Experience working in an office management, Personal Assistant or administrative role.
- Knowledge of Microsoft SharePoint.
- Interest in current affairs and understanding of UK and/or French governments.
This is a full-time and fixed-term contract of 12 months, with a possibility of a 6 months renewal.
All appointments are subject to professional background check satisfactory security clearance. The successful applicant will be required to provide a copy of his/her passport or national identity card for all nationalities held, an up-to-date criminal record (casier judiciaire) for recent countries of residence (which can be obtained online at https://www.cjn.justice.gouv.fr/cjn/b3/eje20 ), two written proofs of address (utility invoices and/or bank statements) and two references.
Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy in France are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local French employment law and FCO guidance for Local Staff. The posts we offer are not an entry point into the UK’s Diplomatic Service.
Your application will only be considered if you follow the guidance below:
- Your application must be sent in English only.
- Your application must clearly indicate all nationalities you hold.
Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.
We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.
Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.
This opportunity is closed to applications.